Ochsner Health Appoints First Chief Digital Officer

National leader in healthcare technology to oversee growth, strategy and innovation of telehealth and digital health programs

Ochsner Health is pleased to announce Denise Basow, MD, as its first Chief Digital Officer (CDO), effective January 3, 2022. Dr. Basow will join the Ochsner Executive Team, leading strategy and growth of Ochsner’s digital health programs, building new digital businesses and expanding clinical businesses regionally and nationally to create a more convenient, cost-effective experience that delivers better outcomes for patients.

“As a nationally recognized leader in healthcare innovation, telehealth and digital medicine programs, Ochsner has made significant strides in improving healthcare accessibility and meeting patients where they are,” said Warner Thomas, President and CEO, Ochsner Health. “COVID-19 has forever changed healthcare, and we are excited to have Dr. Basow bring her wealth of knowledge and expertise in digital healthcare innovation to Ochsner Health. As Chief Digital Officer, Dr. Basow will lead the organization through this transformational time in healthcare by growing our expanding suite of digital programs including those associated with innovationOchsner, virtual care, remote patient monitoring and chronic disease management, while also increasing access and convenience in primary and specialty care. Additionally, Dr. Basow will lead the team focused on investing further in new digital health ventures.”

Dr. Basow joins Ochsner’s team following a 25-year career with global information, software and professional services leader Wolters Kluwer and healthcare start-up UpToDate, where she leveraged innovation and technology to better care for patients’ healthcare needs. Dr. Basow first joined UpToDate in 1996, progressing in leadership positions until being named General Manager after the company’s sale to Wolters Kluwer in 2008. In that role she grew the business into a large, global, evidence-based point-of-care medical software leader before forming a new business within Wolters Kluwer in 2015 called Clinical Effectiveness, where she has since served as President and CEO. Now the world leader in Clinical Decision Support and Patient Engagement, Clinical Effectiveness serves more than 2 million physicians globally and tens of millions of patients.

Dr. Basow received her undergraduate degree from Duke University and her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine. She completed her residency at Johns Hopkins University and practiced internal medicine for several years before joining UpToDate.

Ochsner is a national leader in digital medicine and saw a dramatic increase in digital healthcare and telehealth visits throughout the pandemic. In 2020, Ochsner conducted more than 324,000 virtual visits, a 10,000% increase over 2019. Patient participation in Ochsner’s digital medicine programs to manage chronic health conditions increased by 67% in 2020. Digital healthcare offerings also played a vital role in recovery from natural disasters, including the impacts of Hurricanes Laura and Ida, which caused catastrophic damage to the Louisiana coast. Ochsner provided free virtual urgent care and behavioral health visits to those impacted by the storms and set up digital healthcare hubs in community health centers.

To learn more about Ochsner Health’s digital programs, please visit ochsner.org/digitalmedicine.